ABSTRACT

SPELEO BRAZI L 2001

Braslia DF, 15-22 de julho de 2001

13th International Congress of Speleology
4th Speleological Congress of Latin Amrica and Caribbean
26th Brazilian Congress of Speleology
Estudio Preliminar de la Mitologia Venezolana Asociada a las
Cuevas

Rafael CARREO B.
Sociedad Venezolana de Espeleologa, Departamento de Antropoespeleologa.
Apartado 47.334, Caracas 1041-A. TeleFax: (58-212) 730.64.36. e-mail: rafaelcarreno@cantv.net


Un estudio etnogrfico realizado en base a una seleccin de 323 personajes mitolgicos, todos ellos
relacionados de alguna forma al subsuelo venezolano, establece algunas caractersticas generales de
este bestiario o panten. Los sistemas ideolgicos popular y aborigen evidencian la estratificacin del
cosmos con un mtico mbito subterrneo, independiente de la superficie pero ms o menos
indefinido, este aloja una diversa comunidad hipogea. Durante el desarrollo del trabajo se evidenci
que se requieren criterios para determinar lo que se puede considerar como ctnico (referente al
subsuelo mtico), y lo que no lo es. Sin establecer rgidas dicotomas, una opcin es adoptar una
clasificacin general similar a la de la biologa, con un gradiente de 3 niveles de vinculo con el
subsuelo. La percepcin de las cuevas para los espelelogos y para los habitantes del campo difieren
en forma y fondo debido a numerosos factores, por lo que el estudio es complejo.
Palabras clave: Mitos, bestiario, panten, ctnico, cosmologa, inframundo, cuevas, espeleologa,
etnografa, Venezuela.


Preliminary study of Venezuelan mythology associated to caves
An ethnographic study was carried out on a selection of 323 mythic characters, all associated in
different ways to the Venezuelan underground, establishing some general characteristics of this
bestiary or pantheon. The folk and aboriginal ideological systems show evidence of a stratified
cosmos with a mythic subterranean realm, separated from the surface counterpart, but more or less
undefined, sheltering a diverse underground community. While the work was performed it was obvious
the need of some criteria to determine which could be considered as chthonic (relative to the mythic
underground), and which is not. Without a rigid dichotomy, an option is to adopt a general
classification similar as in biology, with a gradient of 3 levels of link to the underground. The
perception of the meaning of caves among speleologists and the countryside inhabitants differs due to
many factors, that make this study a complex work.
Key words: Myths, bestiary, pantheon, chthonic, cosmology, underworld, caves, speleology,
ethnography, Venezuela.
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